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Two newly trained Iraqi border police pose with their British trainer in front of their newly constructed border fort. (USACE Photo) Base Camp Adder (Ali Base) Iraq – Protecting the border between rivaling countries of Iraq and Iran in rural Maysan Province is a daunting mission assignment. The US Army Corps of Engineers soon realized that endeavoring to build border forts to shelter and safe guard border police patrolling these remote borders presented extraordinary construction challenges as well.The challenge was met in Maysan Province. Maysan is now more fortified than ever before, thanks to 22 new border forts constructed...

U.S. Army Maj. Rhonda A. Keisman (second from right) checks the progress of Iraq's Muqdadiyah Technical School. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Cassandra Groce Iraq's Diyala Province Schools Get a Makeover A U.S. Army civil affairs team and Iraqi engineers monitor reconstruction work on three schools, ensuring the contractors meet the necessary requirements. By U.S. Army Pfc. Cassandra Groce 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment MUQDADIYAH, Iraq, Feb. 27, 2006 — Through the efforts of Iraqi locals and coalition forces, the schools in Iraq's Diyala Province are getting a makeover. "The goal is to turn the projects over to the...

Base Camp Adder (Ali Base) Iraq – The Police Chief of Diwaniyah Province, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office Representative Hakim Kawy and Col. Larry McCallister, commander of Gulf Region South District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and cut the ribbon to officially open the 32nd police facility within Diwaniyah Province. Hay Ramadan Police Station is a newly constructed station in a congested, busy residential and market area of city of Diwaniyah. Approximately one-hundred police officers and guests attended the ceremony. The Police Chief talked about the symbolism of this building for all people in this area because like this construction, Iraq...

U.S. Army soldiers with Task Force Catamount arrive for duty at Forward Operating Base Sharona, Afghanistan, Feb. 10, 2006, to replace Task Force Fury. The Catamounts are assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro 10th Mountain Troops Arrive in Paktika Province Task Force Catamount arrives at Forward Operating Base Aned, ready to replace Task Force Fury and for their induction into “Team Paktika.” By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Pintagro 3rd Brigade Combat Team FORWARD OPERATING BASE ANED, Afghanistan, Feb. 16, 2006...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2006 – The past year has yielded major growth in Iraqi security forces and significant political progress in Iraq's Anbar province, and 2006 will give the people there a chance to enjoy the benefits of that progress, a top U.S. commander in Iraq said today. In April, only two Iraqi army brigades were operating in Anbar, and now there are two divisions that comprise almost 20,000 soldiers, Marine Maj. Gen. Stephen Johnson, commander of Multinational Force West and 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), said while briefing Pentagon reporters via satellite. Iraqi army battalions are bearing an increasingly...

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq, Jan. 1, 2006 – Securing gains made and training local police are keys to victory over terrorists here in Anbar province, the commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Forward said today. In the past few months, U.S. Marines and soldiers have aggressively attacked insurgents throughout the province, Marine Maj. Gen. Stephen Johnson, who is also commander of Multinational Force West, said. Coalition forces went into known insurgent areas and remained in those areas to ensure insurgents did not come back, Johnson said. "We are able to do this now because we have trained Iraqi...

AL HILLAH, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 1, 2005) – Coalition instructors tested and certified the combat readiness of the 2nd Iraqi Army Brigade this week, and announced that the troops are ready to plan and conduct military operations independently in Babil Province, in south-central Iraq. Meanwhile along the Syrian border, Iraqi forces also assumed greater control of the area. A ceremony Nov. 30 in western Iraq symbolized the securing of the borders through cooperation of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior and Multi-National Force Iraq. Defense minister lauds `historic day’ “I won¹t forget this day,” said...

Operation Pil Aids Security in Kunar Province U.S. Marines and sailors embark on a mission to improve security in an Afghan province, an endeavor requiring a hike to an elevation over 5,000 feet to reach the mountaintop. By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Robert M. Storm JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Nov. 9, 2005 — U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Corps Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, conducted Operation Pil in the Watapor Valley of the Kunar Province, Afghanistan, Oct. 16 through 23 in order to improve security and assist in stabilizing the government in the...

Camp Blue Diamond, Ar Ramadi, Iraq (Nov. 2, 2005) -- The 2nd Marine Division is progressively receiving the additional combat power that its commanders have requested to conduct the counter-insurgency operations in the Al Anbar province. The new battalion-sized units flowing into the Western Euphrates River Valley are from the newly trained Iraqi Army. This is a significant change compared to the number of available Iraqi Army units when the 2nd Marine Division took over from 1st Marine Division in March of this year. At that time, only Fallujah and Ramadi had any Iraqi Army or Public Order Brigade presence....

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 2, 2005) -- More than 22 years ago the United States government agreed to establish a peacekeeping presence in Beirut, Lebanon to help quell a conflict between Muslim and Christian factions in the country. In early 1983 Marines and Sailors of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit, deployed to Beirut to support the mission. During the early morning hours of Oct., 23, 1983, having spent nearly six months in country, disaster struck. At approximately 6:22 a.m., 241 service members [220 Marines, 18 Sailors and three Soldiers] lost their lives in a matter of seconds when a suicide...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers build a new air traffic control tower, and plans other improvements to help economic recovery, and increase employment . MOSUL, Iraq, Sept. 13, 2005 — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is working hard to assist Ninawa Province in becoming a major commercial center in northern Iraq. The USACE is providing quality assurance oversight as a Turkish contractor, EMTA Construction Co., builds a new air traffic control tower at Mosul Airport, on Forward Operating Base Diamondback, Iraq. "With an improvement in commerce, there will be significant alternatives to joining the insurgency, which should lead...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2005 – Afghan National Army forces and U.S. Marines killed more than 40 enemy combatants during an offensive operation over the last few weeks in the districts of Chawkay, Asadabad, Pech and Narang, in Afghanistan's Konar province. The ANA and Marines fought side by side in 29 separate engagements against the enemy, disrupting hostile activity during Operation Whalers. The operation's purpose was to disrupt enemy forces in the area and to clear the way for successful elections, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials said. "The ANA have demonstrated their abilities with great success," said Marine...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2005 – A former Taliban sub-commander of the Paktika province has renounced violence against the government of Afghanistan, further fragmenting the Taliban command structure in eastern Afghanistan, military officials said. Mullah Hajji Jalani formally joined the Program Takhim-E-Sohl Aug. 4. A ceremony honoring his decision will be held Aug. 9. The terrorist cell he was formerly associated with has been accused of conducting and planning a variety of attacks against the Afghan people, the Afghan government, and Afghan and coalition forces. "The fact that Mullah Hajji Jalani has joined with the government of Afghanistan is a positive...

AL ASAD, Iraq - (Aug 5, 2005) -- The Moonlighters of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 joined the forward deployed 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Aug. 1 in support of stability operations in the Al Anbar province. The Moonlighters replaced the Bengals of VMFA(AW)-224. Both squadrons are based in Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C. “We are here to continue the work of our predecessors in support of the II Marine Expeditionary Force and the Marines on the ground as they fight to keep Iraq free,” said Sgt. Maj. Nicholas Bourikas, the squadron sergeant major. The Moonlighters’ efforts to support...

Unusual Iron Age steles discovered in Ardebil Province Tehran Times Culture Desk TEHRAN -- Over 500 stone steles bearing images of faces of men and women with no mouths were recently discovered at Shahr Yeri in Ardebil Province, the director of the team of archaeologists working at the site announced on Tuesday. Alireza Hojabri Nuri added that the steles are arranged one after another in the form of a wall and date back to the Iron Age. Shahr Yeri is located near Pirazmeyan village, 32 kilometers off of Meshkin Shahr in Ardebil Province. “The discovered steles enjoy unique characteristics, and...

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Reports of Riots/Uprising in Iran By Andrew L. Jaffee, December 6, 2003 Home   Search   Forum   Terms The were two reports of "rioting" and "uprising" out of the Iranian province of Baluchistan yesterday. The WorldNetDaily.com reported 30 dead and 80 wounded in the disturbances which they termed an "uprising," while the BBC reported 5 dead in a "riot." Baluchistan has distinct ethnic groups, mainly Baluch/Baloch and some Pathan/Pakhtuns, and is spread across Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan. The region has a long and rich history. Baluchis make up 2% of Iran's population. The BBC gave little detail, saying only that "clashes broke out...

To the clergy and people of the Anglican Province of Christ the King: The Province of Christ the King has experienced a steady growth for nearly twenty-six years. More and more churchmen are discovering that we have remained faithful to our vows of uncompromising loyalty to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. The constant cry now for clergy and churches comes from across the country. We must face the loss of the Episcopal Church as it dissolves into a polymorphous ecumenical body. At the last General Convention Meeting in Minnesota, the majority of the House of Bishops of the...

The Constitution of the Episcopal Church Preamble The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, otherwise known as The Episcopal Church (which name is hereby recognized as also designating the Church), is a constituent member of the Anglican Communion, a Fellowship within the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, of those duly constituted Dioceses, Provinces, and regional Churches in communion with the See of Canterbury, upholding and propagating the historic Faith and Order as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. This Constitution, adopted in General Convention in Philadelphia in October, 1789, as amended in subsequent...

2,000-year-old corpse found intact in mystery fluid BEIJING - The corpse of a woman who died more than 2,000 years ago has been found well preserved in a mystery fluid in eastern China, state media reported on Saturday. The body of the woman, who was believed to have lived during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 24), still had some of her skin, muscle tissue and veins, according to the Xinhua news agency. Workers at a building site in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, discovered the corpse, which was in a coffin, on July 8. 'The female corpse, estimated to...